mista chris and jenny jen take jamaica

Chris and I forked up a lot of the money for our Oct. 2009 nuptials. Due to that and the fact that my career is in education, we decided to wait on our honeymoon and go when I didn't have to take sick days. So, July 2010 couldn't come soon enough! When it did arrive, we were off to Couples Tower Isle Resort in Ochos Rios, Jamaica. I knew that I was in for a pretty fun trip. Not only were we going somewhere tropical, which is where we are both happiest, but we are also a pretty vibrant and social couple so I knew we would wind up meeting a lot of folks and having a blast. This definitely happened.
Chris was a huge fan of the swim up bar, as was I because I could be in the shade, in the water, and around everyone else all at once. Chris loved it because it was a place for him to talk someone's ear off and have easy access to alcohol. If you know Chris, this does not come as a surprise...

Me reading Better Homes and Gardens at the swim up bar

As beautful as the beach was, I can't say we sat on it more than once. I was a bit obsessed with my lounge chair on the bluff, overlooking the water from an elevated spot. It gave me access to a nice breeze that would put me to sleep daily. Plus, it was pretty close to the soft-serve ice cream machine I would hit up daily (I will own this!) on my way to check emails and get some A/C during the heat of the day.
The staff at Tower Isle was amazing. So friendly, so helpful, and I loved that they remembered our names and would actually call us out for conversation when we would pass them in the lobby. Our fav bellhop, Byron, called us Mista Chris and Jenny Jen in a good, heavy Jamaican accent.

Here we are with Byron as we waited for the bus to pick us up and take us to the airport, headed home. :(

The Activities Coordinator, Michael, was one of our other favorites. An 18 year-old who had gone to school full time and spent every free hour working at Tower Isle for the last few years. Michael had great communication skills, excelent speech, was unbelievably athletic and looked like Usher, to beat. Chris gawked at him everyday, especially when he tried to get Chris to play volleyball. We are pretty sure Michael fit Barbie's body measurements, with the addition of a 6 pack and bulging biceps. Michael was finishing up his last summer at Tower Isle before heading to the states on a football scholarship to Iowa State. He wound up eating dinner with us a few nights and made Chris get on stage during Friday night's Beach party to do a traditional Jamaican dance.

Chris, an audience hog, then decided to breath fire.

We spent that evening dining with four couples we met the day we got to Tower Isle. They were all such friendly people. I loved that only one other couple was our age and the rest closer to our parents' age. It was nice to be able to enjoy the company of different generations- and it not seem out of the ordinary at all. Everyone is on the same page in Jamaica!

We went snorkeling one day- I didn't do too hot. I absolutely loved the sealife, but for some reason got a little queasy on the boat heading out, and something about the waves slapping me in the head while I tried not to panic while breathing into a tube. I lost my orientation, and then my breakfast. Not fun. So needless to say, I didn't dare try scubadiving.

The piano bar was a hit. I am a music fanatic and enjoyed singing along to songs I love and adore here in my home country. There was even had an Auburn/Alabama fight song rivalry at one point (can you acually go anywhere without this happening?!). We didn't get involved with that one.

             This devil is the Bob Marley. And I do believe it was the cause of what happened next...

                                                                         Yikes.

We went on the Catamaran cruise one evening and had a blast.

We visited all the restaurants once, but found ourselves wanting the buffet for the rest of the week. I wasn't up for long waits and slim menus. The buffets were wonderful and I could get whatever I wanted (and it was usually more along the lines of things I would normally eat- I am not a cultured diner and could live off of chicken and rice).

We had such a fabulous time and cannot wait to go back! Beautiful, isn't it?!

I was drinking a dirty banana in this pic. to.die.for.

The housing here was unbelievably poor. You have your extra wealthy but those homes are all in a secluded area. I love the looks of the architecture and colors, but from close up, these homes are nothing but shambles.

Gorgeous, right!? You can kind of see my little cliff that I loved by the pool in this picture (behind the far right palm tree)

This is where I took the best nap of my entire life. No joke.

Below is a picture of paradise the day we were going home. :(

Chris's favorite spot? Chattin' up some strangers in the swim up bar. Shocker? I didn't think so.

Conkshell man! He would paddle out every evening and come back with these amazing conk shells.

I just had to have one. Last day there, Chris gave in and bought me a shell and Conk man taught me how to make a foghorn sound out of it. At the time, cool. Now? The shell is a nice keepsake but doubtful that I will ever whistle out of it again.

It was such a fun trip and I am happy to have been able to spend it with hubs. I hated saying goodbye to Jamaica, but as Byron said, "It tis not goodbye, Jenny jen. But, until next time. Yea, mon."